Books In Common recently interviewed Marja Mills, author of The Mockingbird Next Door, about her memoir. In 2004, Mills moved in next door to Nelle Harper Lee and her sister Alice and spent 18 months developing a friendship with the iconic author. She learned about Alabama, the Lees and the influences that shaped the beloved To Kill A Mockingbird.
BIC book reviews of Molly Gloss’ Falling From Horses, Stephen Puleo’s The Caning and Anand Giridharadas’ The True American: Murder and Mercy in Texas
Jane Bennett, coordinator for ALLenReads, answered a few questions for Books In Common about her community and the books that bring them together.
Lisa St. John Allaman, coordinator for Edgewood College Siena/Common Reads, explains how the program is organized and the lessons they have learned to increase participation.
For many Common Reads program coordinators on college campuses, First Year Experience departments, and in public/private high schools, the pressures of meeting upper administrative demands while keeping students enthused and engaged can be daunting. Sometimes it may feel like these closed-door committee members are out of touch. Other times, tension originates from over-enthusiastic coordinators who prefer beach books to the literary canon.
Guadalupe Garcia McCall, author of Under the Mesquite and Summer of the Mariposa, discusses the inspiration for her books and experience with speaking engagements. April is National Poetry Month, so start planning now to book Guadalupe for next year’s celebration.
Peter Start discusses his latest book, Astoria, and his experiences at literary events.
What are some of the “teachable” moments in your book that make it work well for a speaking engagement?
My book contains many moments of crisis, when a leader has to make a crucial decision:
When young New Jersey businessman Wilson Price Hunt, a neophyte to the wilderness, leading a large party, has to decide whether to follow the “known” route up the Missouri River and into a sure and bloody confrontation with the Blackfeet Indians, or strike out into a thousand miles of unknown terrain? Which should he chose: Sure trouble or total unknown? Later in the expedition across the Rocky Mountains, Hunt blunders into the deepest canyon in North America in the middle of winter and his 50-person party runs out of food. Does he stay with his loyal and dying men who are dropping beside the trail? Or does he abandon his collapsing friends to try to lead the rest of the expedition to safety?
Christina Baker Kline at Community Reads in Indiana “Everything went well, Christina was personable and engaging,” said Trisha, program chairperson. Reyna Grande at Los Angeles Charter School “Everyone LOVED Reyna’s address. She ranked a 4.8 out of 5. She was able to weave her story together with humor and heartstrings to impress the need […]
